As part of our Return on Response campaign, a coalition-focused initiative highlighting the life-saving, cost-effective impact of partnerships between behavioral health providers and first responders, we’re spotlighting programs that are making a difference in communities across Washington state. One of these program is Comprehensive Healthcare’s Field Response Program, which pairs behavioral health professionals with law enforcement to address mental health crises and substance use needs across Yakima County.
When a community member is experiencing severe behavioral health symptoms, the first call is often to 9-1-1. For decades, when law enforcement arrived on scene, officers were typically faced with only two options for responding to the crisis: transport the individual to an emergency department or take them to jail.
But what if a behavioral health professional responded instead? What if, upon arrival, that professional could de-escalate the situation, assess the individual’s needs, and connect them directly to appropriate mental health or substance use disorder services? How might that change the trajectory of that person’s life – and the way communities rely on law enforcement to respond to behavioral health crises?
That is the promise of co-response programs. Fourfront Contributor member organization Comprehensive Healthcare has been leading the way with this model in Central Washington for several years, demonstrating how the right response, at the right time, can transform outcomes for individuals while reshaping the role of law enforcement.
A team built for the field
Today, Comprehensive Healthcare’s Field Response Program is made up of 18 team members and includes Designated Crisis Responders (DCRs), case managers, and peer support specialists. The team operates two daily shifts, ensuring services are available from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
These teams are embedded directly within law enforcement agencies – some based at the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office and others co-located at the Sunnyside Police Department, and they respond to calls across Yakima County. Having behavioral health professionals based out of the law enforcement agencies helps build trust, improve coordination, and allow for a faster, more effective response.
When a call comes in to dispatch and includes a behavioral health component, the Field Response team can respond either with law enforcement, EMS, the fire department, or on its own. Pairing case managers with peer support specialists ensures both clinical oversight and person-centered engagement, while DCRs remain on call to support higher-acuity cases that may require involuntary intervention.
In recent years, the Field Response team has even added transportation to its model, allowing it to transport individuals directly into services, including crisis stabilization and detox centers, without requiring police, fire, or EMS escort.
Yakima County Sheriff Robert Udell, whose department works closely with Comprehensive Healthcare’s Field Response team, says the model works because it pairs the right roles with the right responsibilities. The strength of the approach lies in having law enforcement present to protect the safety of everyone involved, while allowing mental health professionals to lead on care and de-escalation.
“The Field Response team is part of the sheriff’s department – they’re right in the middle of our agency,” Udell said. “Helping someone in crisis can take officers out of service for hours. Having the Field Response team provides a better and more appropriate resource, and gets officers back into service more quickly. For so long, we didn’t have any alternatives. Now, we’re starting to see these systems built – and they’re making a real difference.”
Measuring impact
The goal of the Field Response team is to provide timely, clinically appropriate intervention during behavioral health crises, and it’s working.
Over the past year, the team achieved an average response time of just 24 minutes – a life-saving difference when minutes matter during a crisis. During that same period, the program saw a 319 percent increase in crisis services delivered, representing hundreds more community members receiving timely behavioral health support instead of entering the emergency healthcare or criminal justice systems.
The impact of this model is evident not only in program data but also in how it has changed day-to-day operations for both law enforcement and mental health professionals. Jennifer Trevino, Comprehensive Healthcare’s manager of the Field Response Program, says the difference is tangible.
“We’ve spent the last few years refining and strengthening our co-response model, and the current Field Response Program is the result of that evolution – and it has been shaped as much by our law enforcement partners as by our team,” said Trevino. “We work side by side and figure things out together. We each have our role, but we share a mission: making sure people get the help they need.”
When individuals are connected to appropriate care, they are less likely to experience higher-intensity crisis interventions and involuntary interventions. In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Comprehensive Healthcare’s co-response program conducted 160 involuntary placements. In 2025, that number dropped to 83 – even as total services provided by the program increased by more than 120 percent over the five-year span.
From a systems perspective, this data underscores the value of early clinical intervention. By reaching individuals in distress sooner, the Field Response team is reducing the likelihood of situations escalating into medical emergencies or criminal charges – diverting people from jail and the emergency department, while minimizing trauma and preserving dignity.
How it works on the ground
Program data tells one part of the story. Just as important are the skills these teams bring to each call – clinical judgment under pressure, trauma-informed de-escalation, advocacy for the most vulnerable, and reliable follow-up. On the ground, those skills change outcomes for individuals and officers alike.
In one instance, an individual experiencing severe psychosis was at risk of arrest when law enforcement arrived on scene. A DCR with Comprehensive Healthcare’s Field Response Program intervened, de-escalated the situation, and conducted an immediate evaluation. The individual met criteria for psychiatric placement and was transported for treatment instead of being booked into jail.
According to Sheriff Udell, moments like these help build trust, both within law enforcement and in the community.
“Our goal in being part of the Field Response Program is to ensure people receive care that truly meets their needs, while allowing law enforcement to focus on public safety – and we’re seeing that happen,” said Udell. “When individuals are met where they are, with the right supports in place, situations that might otherwise escalate can be resolved safely. That makes a big difference for the people involved, for our deputies, and for the community as a whole.”
These moments reflect a broader shift in how crisis calls are handled. During a routine traffic stop, for example, a community member began injuring themselves and was transported to the hospital by law enforcement. The Field Response team met the individual at the hospital, took over their care, and coordinated placement at a stabilization center – allowing officers to return to service and ensuring the individual was connected to ongoing mental health support.
A return on response
Comprehensive Healthcare’s Field Response Program illustrates the core idea behind the Return on Response campaign: having behavioral health and public safety experts working together saves time, money, and lives. People in crisis receive appropriate care that meets their needs, first responders can focus on their roles, and systems operate more efficiently.
“We’re continually impressed by the strides we’re making in integrating behavioral health and public safety to deliver the right response at the right time,” said Jodi Daly, Ph.D., CEO of Comprehensive Healthcare. “When systems are aligned, our communities are safer and healthier.”
Learn more about the Return on Response campaign here.